Woody Allen's Real Name: Allan Stewart Konigsberg

Quick answer: Woody Allen was born Allan Stewart Konigsberg in the Bronx, New York, in 1935. Britannica spells the first name Allen. He started using the name Woody Allen as a teenager and later legally became Heywood Allen. He is the writer-director of Annie Hall (1977), Manhattan, Hannah and Her Sisters, and Midnight in Paris (Library of Congress; Britannica).

Real name and early life

The Library of Congress name authority files him as "Allen, Woody, 1935-" and lists "Allen, Heywood" as a variant. One citation reads "b. Dec. 1, 1935, in Brooklyn, New York, N.Y., USA; Allan Stewart Konigsberg; began using name Woody Allen in spring 1952." Another says he was "born Allan Stewart Konigsberg in The Bronx and raised in Brooklyn" and "at the age of 17, he legally changed his name to Heywood Allen." Britannica's quick facts give "Original name: Allen Stewart Konigsberg; Legal name: Heywood Allen."

Britannica notes that official documents give his birth date as December 1, 1935. In his 2020 autobiography, Apropos of Nothing, he wrote that he was actually born on November 30. He grew up in Brooklyn and took up the clarinet as a teenager. In high school he sold jokes to newspaper columnists under the name Woody Allen. He briefly attended NYU and City College of New York.

Career highlights

He wrote for television from 1956, joined Sid Caesar's writing staff in 1958, and did stand-up in Greenwich Village. He wrote and appeared in What's New, Pussycat? (1965), made What's Up, Tiger Lily? (1966), and had a Broadway hit with Don't Drink the Water. Annie Hall won Oscars for best picture, best director, and best original screenplay (shared with Marshall Brickman), as well as best actress for Diane Keaton. Allen skipped the ceremony to play clarinet in Manhattan.

Britannica's quick facts list further screenwriting Oscars for Hannah and Her Sisters (1987 ceremony) and Midnight in Paris (2012 ceremony), as well as the 2014 Cecil B. DeMille Award. Other notable works include Zelig, Crimes and Misdemeanors, Match Point, and Blue Jasmine.

Britannica says allegations of sexual abuse have tarnished his reputation. Those allegations arose in 1992, during his custody fight with Mia Farrow. AP reported that he was investigated but never charged. The Guardian reports that he has consistently denied the allegations and calls them "categorically false."

Name notes for searchers

Konigsberg was his family surname. "Woody" is a nickname, and his legal first name became Heywood. Sources differ on whether his birth name is spelled Allan or Allen. LOC citations mostly use Allan, and Britannica uses Allen.